Leda

Albert Urban

Urban chooses a dark palette, minimal contrasting, and intricate, varied textures to set the tone of the famous Greek myth of Leda and the Swan. There is no suggestion of the violence of the original story, but instead portrays Leda sitting beside the disguised Zeus almost as if in conversation. Greek myth was a popular subject for Abstract Expressionists in the first half of the 20th century, this being one of particular focus as its controversial and oft-debated subject matter is open to interpretation of the artist.

Urban’s printmaking style often employed the use of saturated inks that also featured subtle tonal changes between color runs, such as a dark gray on black, making closer inspection of the image necessary. It’s in the dark color fields of his prints, seemingly mute, where Urban hides the tension, flow, and movement of each piece.